Shloka 38

Devanagari script

पततश्चापरो राजन्‌ विजहारासिना शिर:

Transliteration

patataś cāparo rājan vijahārāsinā śiraḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, as he was falling, the other warrior, with his sword, cleanly severed off his head.”

Word by Word

• पततः: of (him) falling / while (he) was falling
• पततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: पतत् (√पत्)
• Form: present (vartamāna), parasmaipada (active participle), masculine, genitive, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपरः: the other (one)
• अपरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• विजहार: played about / sported / wielded (skillfully)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √हृ (हृ)
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• असिना: with a sword
• असिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• asi (sword)
• śiraḥ (head)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark ethical tension of war: in the kṣatriya arena, decisive action and lethal skill are praised as duty, yet the narration also highlights impermanence and the terrible cost of violence—prompting reflection on dharma amid destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, at the moment someone is falling in battle, the opposing warrior strikes with a sword and severs the fallen fighter’s head, emphasizing the ferocity and immediacy of combat.